Vehicle cooling apparatus using carbon dioxide



y 1949- A. H. PEARSON 2,475,755

VEHICLE CQQLING APPARATUS "JSING CARBON DIOXIDE Filed Nov. 18, 1946 E555Ennn B DEIDDDEID I: DDDEIDDD U DDDDUUD [I DECIDED D UDEEDUUDN EIDDDUUUUU DEIDEIDEICIDIII EIEIDDDDEIUD DEIDDDCIUIZD DDEIDDDDCID DE DECIDE mmvroa.

Patented July 12, 1949 VEHICLE COOLING APPARATUS USING CARBON DIOXIDE Alan H. Pearson, Detroit, Mich., asslgnor to Pearson, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michlgan Application November 18, 1946, Serial No. 710,571

3 Claims.

y This invention relates generally to air conditioning equipment and refers more particularly a relatively few simple parts capable of being readily assembled to form a compact unit suitable for installation on relatively small vehicles for cooling the air within the body of the vehicle. Another object of this invention is to provide air conditioning apparatus having a cooling chamber arranged in heat conducting relation to an air passage through which air is discharged into the interior of the vehicle body and having a storage tank for a gaseous refrigerant communicating with the chamber through a valve. The arrangement is such that gaseous refrigerant admitted to the chamber expands or solidifies to form ice, which absorbs heat from the air flowing through the passage into the vehicle body.

Still another object of this invention is to provide air conditioning apparatus having a blower positioned to draw air from the interior of the vehicle body and 'to discharge this air back into the body through the air passage referred to in the preceding paragraph. Thus the air within the vehicle body is continuously circulated through the air conditioning apparatus by the blower.

A further object of this invention is to provide temperature responsivemeans in the air stream for controlling the operation of the blower and valve. As a result, the air in the body may be substantially maintained at .a predetermined temperature. A still further feature of this invention is to provide air conditioning apparatus of the above general type wherein the quantity of refrigerating gas supplied to the refrigerant chamber for a given period of time is predetermined to avoid overor under-charging the chamber when the thermostat operates to open the valve. 7

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,

especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein: I

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of a vehicle body; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing air conditionin apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. 7

-Referring now more in detail to the drawing, it will be noted that the reference numeral l indicates a portion of the flooring of a suitable vehicle body and the numeral ll designates anair conditioning unit embodying the features of this invention.

The air conditioning unit comprises a casing tionship to the wall 29 of the chamber bottle 33. suitably supported iii-"a compartment l2 formed of any suitable material such,,;for example, as sheet metal and secured at its upper end to the underside of the flooring Ill. Upon reference to Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that the casing i2 is constructed to provide an air passage I3 having one end portion M communicating with the interior of the vehicle body through an openin 15 in the flooring and having the other end portion Ilialso cornmunicating'with the interior of the vehiclebody through an opening I! spaced from-the opening j 5. As will bemore fully hereinafter ,described, the openinglS serves as aninlet opening through which air from within the vehicle body isadmitted to thepassage i3, and a "filtrfl8 is. suitably supported in the upper end l4 ofthe passage I3 for cleaningthe airpassing through the opening 15. I Thefo'peni ng ll serves an' outlet opening for discharging, the air withdrawn from the vehicle body'throug he opening l5-bacl g into the body. If desired b hfop'enilngs l5 and i 1 in the vehicle body flooringtrn' be'protected by a suitable grating 19. H A blower 20 is supported in ,thepassage J3 directly below the end portion l8 vof the passage for drawing air into the end portion M. of the j passage through. the opening 15, in the. vehicle body floorin iii andfor discharging this air back into the vehicle body through the end portion I6 of the passage I3. The blower iii'comprisesafan 2i and an electric motor I22. forioperatingthe' fan. In the present instance-the electric motor is connected in series-with anelectricsupply- Cir e cult 23 and the latter lis contro lled by aswitch 24 conveniently located within .the vehicle-body,

for manipulation by-theoperaton H Supported within the casing .I21inq concentric relation. to the end portion iii of .-the,,airpas-p sage I3 is a chamber 25 having ,thegupperend. communicating with the atmosphere throughvent openings 25 and. having an; outer -wall 521. protected by a suitable insulating-imaterialiZBifi also serves as the wall of the endiportioml' the passagei3. Thus airpassing! through the end portion [6 of the passag F3 the vehicle body fiowsin heat conducting igglii 2 A Suitably supported in the chamber'fli f t flit?" lower end of the-latter isan annular nianif I having a muliplioity of discharge i municating with the interior of the cha n r '25 The manifold 30 also communicates'with'fa 'ur'cie of gaseous refrigerant through-a' 'con'du i 32 the present instance the source of gaseo'u frigerant comprises-an interchangeable tan r- 34 of the casing l2 and having a valve 35 at the upper end. The valve 35 is adapted to be manually operated by a control element 36 and establishes communication between the tank 33 and the conduit 32. The control 36 is accessible from the interior of the vehicle body through an openlng 31 formed in the flooring ill in registration with the upper end of the compartment 34-. The tank 33 or bottle contains a gaseous refrigerant under pressure, and this refrigerant is preferably of the type which solidifies when allowed to expand. For the purpose of illustrating this invention, it will be assumed that the tank 33 contains a supply of carbon dioxide gas.

Connected in the conduit 32 between the tank 33 and the manifold 33 is a valve 38. This valve is operated by a solenoid 39' having a coil connected in series with the electric circuit 23, so as to be energized to open the valve upon closing the switch 23 to initiate the operation of the blower 23. Also a pressure regulating valve 39 is preferably connected in the conduit 32 between the metering valve 38 and the manifold 33.

In the present instance the valve 38 is provided with a metering pin 38' capable of being adjusted to supply a predetermined quantity of gas to the annular chamber 25 in a given period of time. Through experimentation under actual operating conditions, it is possible to determine exactly the quantity of gas required to produce the amount of refrigerant necessary in the annular chamber 25 to accomplish the cooling effect,

It has previously been stated that the circuit 23 is controlled by the manually operable switch 23. In accordance with this invention, provision is also made for automatically controlling the circuit 23 when the latter is closed by the switch 23. For accomplishing this result, a thermostatlcally operated switch '33 is connected in series with the circuit 23 and is positioned in the end portion ii of the passage l3. Thus the thermostatically operated switch 43 is located in the air stream, and is responsive to the temperature of the air to open or close the circuit 23. In other words, the thermostatically operated switch 33 controls the operation of both the blower 23 and the metering valve 33. I

From the foregoing construction it will be noted that when both the manually operable switch 23 and thermostatically operatedv switch 43 are closed, the valve 33 is opened and the blower 23 is operated. Thus opening of the valve 35 allows gaseous refrigerant from the tank 33- to pass through the conduit 32 into the manifold 33. The gaseous refrigerant in the manifold 33 is discharged into the chamber 25 through the ports 3| and solidifies in the chamber to form carbon dioxide ice. This ice substantially lowers the temperature of the wall 23 and cools the air Thus, from the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a compact air conditioning apparatus capable of being readily installed on vehicles of practically any size without appreciable modiflcation of the vehicle. It will further be noted that although the apparatus is composed of a relatively few simple parts, nevertheless, it operates effectively to 'cool the air within the vehicle body with little or no attention on the part of the user. -Actually the only service required is to interchange the tank or bottle 33 to replenish the refrigerant, and this may be readily accomplished through the opening 31 in the vehicle body flooring.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having inlet and outlet openings for air, means within the casing forming a passage between said openings, a chamber for refrigerant located within the casing in heat conducting relationship to the walls of the passage adjacent the outlet opening and vented to the atmosphere, a source of refrigerant supported within the casing and having a fluid connection with the chamber, a valve in said fluid connection for regulating the flow of refrigerant to the chamber, means housed within the casing for circulating air through the passage, and means controlled by the temperature of the air flowing through the passage for operating said valve.

2. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having spaced inlet and outlet openings for air, means within the casing forming a passage between the openings, a chamber for refrigerant surrounding the passage adiacent the outlet opening and vented to the atmosphere, a

source of refrigerant supported within the casing and having a fluid connection with the chamber, a valve in the fluid connection for regulating the flow of refrigerant to the chamber, a blower supported in the passage between the outlet openpassing upwardly into the vehicle body through the portion I 3 of the passage l3. This air also passes in heat conducting relationship to the thermostatically operated switch 33. so that when the temperature of the air is lowered to the specifled degree, the switch is automatically opened to break-the circuit 23. As a result the coil of thev solenoid 39' is deenergizeu, and the valve 33 is closed to prevent further flow of refrigerant to the chamber 25. also the operation of the blower 23 is discontinue: and circulation of. air through the passage i3 is substantially diminished. How--' ever, when the temperature of the air increases above a preselected temperature, the switch 33 is again closed to establish the circuit 23. As soon as the circuit 23 is closed. the solenoid 33' opens the valve 33 and starts the blower 23.

lugs for circulating air through the passage, and means controlled by the temperature of the air flowing through the outlet opening for operating said valve.

3. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having spaced inlet and outlet openings for'air, means within the casing forming a passage between said openings, a chamber for refrigerant positioned in heat conducting relationship to the walls ofthe passage adjacent the outlet opening and vented to the atmosphere, a source of refrigerant supported within the casing and having a fluid connection with the chamber. a blower supported within the casing for circulating air through the passage, a valve in the fluid connection for regulating the flow of refrigerant to the chamber, and temperature responsive means located in the passage for operating both said valve and blowera ALAN H. PEARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

